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HIMANTOPUS CANDIDUS. 675 
Upper part of head and hind-neck, for half its length, black; the 
rest white, excepting some of the scapulars, the smaller wing-coverts, 
and the primary quills and coverts, which are black; legs and feet 
black, the latter partially webbed ; bill black, very long, slender, and 
turned considerably upwards. Iris red. Length, 18’; wing, 9” 3”; 
tail, 3’ 3’"; bill, 3” 3””. 
Fig. Dresser, B. Eur. vii, pl. 534. 
648. Himantorus canpipus, Bonn. Black-winged Stilt. 
But one specimen has been obtained near Cape Town. It was 
killed on the Cape Flats by Mr. Dumbleton, to whom we are indebted 
for many rare birds, shot by his own hand. A pair were observed, 
but the other escaped. We have seen this species very abundantly 
in Ceylon, in the tanks scattered throughout the jungle. It is 
usually in small companies, wading up to the extent of its long legs, 
and even swimming across small holes or depressions which it may 
encounter while wading. It feeds on small crustaceans, worms, and 
shells, and is easy of approach, till it learns to fear the presence of 
man. On being flushed, the flock flies round and round, each bird 
uttering a loud cry of “ wheet-wheet-wheet,” in a different key, the 
whole forming a pleasing music, as agreeable to the ear of the 
naturalist as the cry of a pack of hounds is to that of a fox-hunter. 
. To our great astonishment we found this bird in abundance at the 
Berg River, breeding in company with the preceding from which in 
its nesting it is undistinguishable : the eggs also much resemble those 
of R. avocetta, but may be known at once by the practised eye. 
Breeds in September, and is called Roodepoot Elsje, lit. “ red-legged 
cobbler’s awl.” The likening of the bills of these two birds to an 
awl is not bad ! 
Mr. Andersson writes: ‘‘ This species is sparingly met with in 
the middle and northern parts of Damara Land, but more frequently 
in the Lake regions, and on the River Okavango. I have always 
found it singly or in pairs. It feeds on insects, snails, shells, &., 
and is a conspicuous and interesting object, being lively and graceful 
in its actions, both when running (which it does with considerable 
celerity) about the sides of marshes and streams, and when wading 
quietly in shallow water.” Senor Anchieta has met with the 
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